Sri Lanka Tamil Refugees Humanitarian Programme coordinator Eashvara Lingam said the group would go on strike unless the Malaysian government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) fulfill their demands to be sent to a third country without further delay.

“They also demand for them not to be forcibly sent back to Sri Lanka where they will face persecution by its army and for authorities to permit human rights activists and other NGO leaders to visit them in the camps,” he said in a statement here on Tuesday.

Eashvara said he had also received reports from the detainees that they were not getting clean water, and supplied with only low quality and stale food.

“However, they appreciate the Malaysian authorities for saving them from the sea,” he said.

Banners flown by single engine aircraft displaying “Stop Tamil Genocide; Boycott Sri Lanka” circled the cricket grounds several times during a 20-over cricket tournament held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida during this weekend, attendees to the games said.

Stop Tamil Genocide - Boycott Sri Lanka

Indian, Pakistani, English, South African, Sri Lankan and Caribbean supporters dominated the attendees at the stadium. In the meantime Sinhalese dissidents opposed to the Rajapaksa regime flew their own message on another plane which said: Sri Lanka – Free Gen Fonseka – Restore Democracy.”

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori felt the event had been a success. “Obviously with a lot of Sri Lankans here it had a kind of sub-continent feel but it was a crowd that was entertained,” Reuters report quoted Vettori as saying.

“I thought the entertainment off the field was good for the game and whilst it wasn’t as high scoring as people wanted it was still a thrilling game,” Vettori added.

New Zealand made 120 and Sri Lanka stumbled to 92 all out with two balls remaining on the Saturday game.

Mr Rajapaksa himself, besides being president, is minister of defence, finance and planning, ports and aviation, and highways. In all, he is directly responsible for 78 institutions. One, the defence ministry, is a condominium with his brother, Gotabaya, the defence secretary. Besides control of the armed forces, police and coast guard, it has expanded its remit to take in immigration and emigration, as well as, curiously, the Urban Development Authority and the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation.